From free admission to discounted rates, there’s plenty of ways to save money at this year’s Oregon State Fair.
The fair will be Friday, Aug. 23, through Monday, Sept. 2, at the state fairgrounds in Salem. It will host carnival rides, a rodeo, kids activities and more.
The fair runs daily from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends.
Once the fair starts, regular adult admission is $12. Tickets for children 12 and under are $10, and children under 5 get in free. Senior tickets are $3.
The range of discounts come from visiting businesses, donating canned goods and buying tickets before the fair begins.
On opening day, Aug. 23, admission will be $5 at the gates through a partnership with Mattress Firm.
Pre-sale
Pre-sale tickets for people over 65 will be $1 until Aug. 23. Once the fair starts, they’ll be $3.
Ride wristbands are discounted online ahead of opening day, through Aug. 22. Wristbands allow unlimited rides.
Monday-Friday wristbands are $45, Saturday or Sunday are $55 and a pack of 125 tickets is $50.
Discounts for kids, veterans, teachers, first responders
On Aug. 29, all children 12 and under can get in free.
On Monday, Sept. 2, there will be free admission for military service members, veterans, first responders, teachers, health care workers and their families. ID is not required. Show up in person at the gates to redeem the offer.
Stopping by a business
Through Aug. 22, O’Reilly Auto Parts locations are selling family four packs of tickets for $20, a discount of $5 from the online package. It covers admission for two adults and two children.
Any fair ticket purchase at an Oregon Wilco until Sept. 2 will come with a free one-day parking pass, as supplies last. Otherwise, general parking is $5.
Donating canned food
On Aug. 28, bringing two cans of food for the Marion Polk Food Share program will knock off $2 from admission. They’ll be turned into an Oregon Trail wagon made of canned food for the fair. The deal can’t be combined with other discounts.
Free concert seats
This year’s concert lineup includes Ludacris, The Goo Goo Dolls and other iconic rock, reggae, rap and country acts. There will be free seating on a first-come, first served basis.
See the full lineup below.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
